A North Georgia police officer fatally shot a man who drove away from a traffic stop and later came toward him with a knife, the GBI said.
The incident began shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday when an officer in Clayton stopped a Honda Accord for speeding on Ga. 441 South, GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said in a news release.
The car was going 68 mph in a 45-mph zone, according to the release. A chase followed, and the Honda crashed on a private drive.
The officer gave commands for the driver to stay in the car, but he came out of a rear window and went onto the car’s roof, according to the release.
“The subject then, armed with a knife, jumped off the hood of the vehicle towards the officer,” the GBI said. “The subject advanced towards the officer, swinging the knife, at which time the officer fired multiple gunshots at the subject.
“The subject was struck and died at the scene.”
An autopsy is planned for Friday at the GBI medical examiner’s office in DeKalb County.
The agency is investigating the incident, which is normal protocol in cases involving use of force. It is the eighth such case for the GBI in 2018.
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